La Citadelle Academy slated to be sold by the Toronto District School Board as part of capital plan. Over 200 students attend the private school.

Ethan Tran, Cecilia Bohn and Simone Le brought a handmade sign to bring to a community meeting at 15 Mallow Rd., the site of TDSB land that is slated to be sold.

By:Zoe McKnightStaff Reporter, Published on Tue Sep 24 2013

A debate between representatives of the Toronto District School Board and a Don Mills neighbourhood on the verge of losing its only large green space heated up Tuesday night.

The TDSB decided in June to sell a 4.3-acre parcel of land currently leased by La Citadelle Academy, a private French school at 15 Mallow Rd., near Don Mills Rd. and Lawrence Ave. E. The building was last used as a public school over three decades ago, but the private school has been operating at the site for 13 years.

The move is part of the controversial plan to sell $162 million worth of TDSB properties in a bid to finance major upgrades and rebuilds at other schools as part of a three-year capital plan.

Residents fumed that they were not consulted by Ward 17 trustee Harout Manougian before he voted to sell the land, and that the decision to sell was made during a closed-door meeting this summer.

They also worried the well-used green space, which includes playground equipment as well as a soccer field and dog park, would be sold to the highest bidder and feared the changes a new housing development would bring.

“This is it. This is what’s left of Don Mills,” said Liane Lotbinire, whose daughter attends the school, gesturing to the park.

“It’s not an abandoned building … there is no other parkland.”

The land is considered “surplus” to the TDSB, representatives explained, prompting the crowd to boo.

“You keep saying you (the TDSB) can live without Mallow Rd.,” said Melissa Cederqvist from the packed school gym.

“Well, that’s easy for you to say. You don’t live here. We can’t live without Mallow Rd.”

La Citadelle Academy headmaster Alfred Abouchar has offered to lease the school for 25 years, which the TDSB declined in favour of its sale. Abouchar made a plea to save the school, as did parents and teachers. Some were overcome with emotion as they demanded first-time trustee Manougian work to save the school.

“This school has not been used by the public education system since 1981,” Manougian said. “As a public school system trustee, my concern has to be first and foremost the students in the public system.”

There are other, public schools within walking distance and the revenue from La Citadelle — about $200,000 per year in rent payments — was not sufficient to cover capital needs across the district, board representatives said.

The province expects the board to dispose of its surplus assets to cover capital costs, said TDSB planning manager Andrew Gowdy.

“Every year we defer more maintenance. Right now we have a maintenance backlog of about $3 billion,” he said.

A confidential report prepared for Toronto District School Board trustees recommended 11 properties be sold by the 2015-16 school year.

Many of the schools on the list were closed by the TDSB and rented out, including Sir Sandford Fleming (near Allen Rd. and Highway 401), Silver Creek (near Islington and Eglinton Aves.) and Mallow (Don Mills and the Donway area).

Others schools are still in operation by the school board and could lose part of their yards as well.

Ward 34 councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong attended the meeting and said the city was unlikely to buy the land to retain the green space, but he hoped the school and park would stay as they are.

Toward the end of the meeting and after a tense exchange between residents, TDSB staff and Manougian, the councillor stood up to ask over the din: “Can the school board change its decision, yes or no?”

The TDSB says no.

“The board decided. The board has made its decision,” said Manon Gardner, executive superintendent. At one point the crowd demanded to know whether Manougian voted to sell, chanting “answer the question” for minutes after he sat on a bench at the front of the gymnasium. (He did vote to sell.)

Residents vowed to attend an Oct. 9 meeting of the board of trustees to see if the decision can be reversed.

Manougian said he believes it’s possible, but unlikely under the current provincial funding framework. La Citadelle can always bid on the site when it’s put on the market, he said.

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